Television tuning device



April 1l, 1950 B. N. FISHER 2,503,579

TELEVISION TUNING DEVICE Filed oct. 9, 194s s sheets-sheer 1 April l1, 1950 B. N. FISHER TELEVISION TUNING DEVICE Filed oct. 9, 1948 lllul 75 Z s sheets-sheet 2 April 11, 1950 B. N. FISHER 2,503,579

' TELEVISION TUNING DEVICE Filed Oct. 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE TELEVISION VTUNING DEVICE Berne N. Fisher, Roselle, N. Jz, aseignor tov Gen,-

eral `Instrument Corporation, Elizabeth, N. J., af: corporation kof New Jersey Application-October9, 1948; Serial No. 53,639

(Cl. Z50-40) 1 16,Cla.ms.

Thelpresent' inventionI relates toA a= television:

tuningdevice'and in particular to oneemploying.j

af rotary variablev condenser for tuning purposesand capable of being tuned over the entire cornmercial'television band through manipulation of` a single control element:

Commercial television is broadcasty over plurality or' "channelsfthetransmitting frequencies-'of Wliicluv are fixedi Becauseof'thef'high frequen ciesinvolved;l and'because-of -thelprecision in tun--f ing: necessary if receptionl ofiadequate quality isy tc be achieved,fthe design andA` construction of:vtelevisionk tuning devices has presented many; difficulties tov the'designer. For the conventionalradio-broadcast band; thevnowv familiar rotary variablev condenserl has givenI quite satisfactory service, being accurately tunable and being manu-vv factured" on a large-scale.at'lovvy cost.. However, because ofthe diiiiculties inherent in' the detection and amplification of the frequenciesin the television band; and becauseA of the requirements of low cost' and positive action which are suchprime' factorsv in` themanufacture of receiving sets capable off being mass produced and sold-y tothe publi-c for home use,A it has heretofore been considered impractical to employr standard rotary variable condensers in television tuning;

devices.

In addition, the' television broadcasting chan-1 nelisso Widewhen the problems-of" tuning atl the high frequencies involvedare consideredthat 1 much' difficulty4 hasbeen 'l experienced in'v providi-` ing" suitable television tuning-fdevicestunable over' the entiretelevision bandibylmeans of a sing-lef- It has been found'necessa-ry, inv gen controls eral, to employ a relatively large: number ofY individual tuning'units, often-presetbut sometimes tunableover'a limited-range, and to providef a'v switch for connectingone and then another ofthese tuning devices intothe television receiving circuit'in accordance With-the televisionV channel to be received.v Because ofthe-delicacy of sary because, although the frequency, of. transmission does inct'vary, the circuit components in the receiving set, because of age, changingi climatic conditions, onctherfcauses, vary slightly in their characteristics and while at onetirneftheymay give accuratetuningati another time they may not.

It isthe prime object ofthe present invention to devise a television tuning devi-ce which.

utilizes rotary variable condensers for-'tuning purposes.

It is another primevobject ofthe present inventionto devise a television tuning device which is operable over the entire television band through 'the manipulationof but a single knob or handle,

each channel, thus'enabling the user'to obtain'U bestk results at all timesv no matterfwhat the instantaneous conditionV of' the circuit elements maybe. A collateral object is to spatially and functionally correlate the channel selection and precise` tuning controls, thereby simplifyingoperation ofthe device.

A further object is to devise a television tuning device utilizing a plurality of inductancef condenser tuning sets, each tunable over a portion, of the4 entire television band, with automatic; switching to provide continuous, tuning.

over the entire band.

Yet. anotherV object is tov provide atelevisionA tuning device utilizing. a plurality. of rotary Variable condenser tuning sets so designed that when onefsetreaches its-maximum capacity another set is automatically connected into the receiving circuit, picks up from` the. maximum capacity'of the previous setand goesstill higher in capacity.v A subsidiary object is` to provide such a tuning device in which the condenser tuning. sets: are: so, placed thaty theVv condensersL not connected in the circuit act; as shields forthe condensers connected in the circuit, thus increasing-fidelity orecepionzatithe high frequencies employed.

A still further obect of the present invention is to devise a. television tuning. device: which extremely compact and which employs extremelyV short leads betweenthe various circuit elements,

thus increasing efficiency. and accuracy of recep Still another Objectis to delxse a: television-l tuning device inwhich thenumber of switching actions is minimized, and in particular in which only one switching action is necessary in order to tune over the entire television band, thus reducing the possibility of trouble inherent in the switching operation.

A more specic object of the present invention is to devise a television tuning device which is positive in operation, extremely accurate, relatively simple in construction, and capable of fabrication in quantity so as to be relatively inexpensive when compared with prior art television tuning devices of comparable quality.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects as may hereinafter ap-v pear, the present inventionrelates to the construction of a television tuning device as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

Fig. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View from the other side thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the right hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view similar to Fig. 3 but with some parts removed;

Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the inner surface of the control disc;

Fig. 6 is a top view taken along the line 6 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of one of the rotary switches employed taken along the line 7 1 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an end view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Considered broadly, the tuning device of the present invention comprises a frame generally designated A in which a plurality of rotary variable condensers generally designated B and a plurality of inductances generally designated C are mounted, the inductances and condensers being electrically connected so as to deiine a plurality of inductance-condenser tuning sets.

Means generally designated D are provided for tuning the inductance-condenser tuning sets. Switches E are electrically interconnected to the inductance-condenser tuning sets and are manipulatable so as to connect one or another of those tuning sets into the television receiving ci.cuit. A linkage F is operatively connected to the tuning means D and the switch E so that the` latter is automatically manipulated in accordance with the position of the former. The inductance-condenser tuning sets are so constructed as to be tunable over a portion, and preferably half, of the television band, one set being tunable over a lower portion thereof and another set being tunable over the next higher portion thereof, the switch E, in conjunction with the linkage F and the tuning means D, automatically connecting the appropriate set into the television receiving circuit so as to achieve tuning over the entire television band through manipulation of but a single tuning means D.

As here shown, the tuning unit is in the form of three sections 2, 4 and 6, each for tuning a different element of the television receiving circuit as, for example, the antenna, the oscillator and the detector stages. Inscfar as the present invention is concerned, each of these sections 2, 4 and llimay be identical except for the values of inductance, capacitance and resistance involved, and a description of one section will suffice for all, the detailed variation between the sections being well within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

The frame A comprises a top metal plate 8 on which appropriate tubes I0 and traps I2 may be mounted, the tubes being receivable in conventional sockets lli having connecting prongs I6 to which appropriate electrical connections may be made to the tube elements. The top plate 3 is provided with depending ends i8 which may be secured by means of screws to bottom end plates 22 which have longitudinal bottom bars 24 and 24 and longitudinal intermediate bars 25 and 25 extending between them. The b-ars 24' and 25 are of non-conductive material. Brackets 26 secured to the depending ends I8 of the tcp plate S by means of screws 28 support a pair of longitudinal bars 30 of insulating material, one on each side of the device, to which a plurality of coils 32 and 32 are secured in any appropriate manner, the inductance values of these coils being predete;mined in accordance with circuit requirements. It will be noted that all of the coils 32' mounted on one side of the device contain more turns, and hen-ce have a higher inductanoc value, than the corresponding coils 32 positioned opposite them on the other side of the device.

The rotary variable condensers B are mounted in the device between the end plates 22, and below the inductances 32. Between each of the sections 2, i and 6 shield plates 34 ofconventional construction are mounted, and a driven rotor shaft 36 is rotatably journalled between the end plates 22 in conventional manner. This shaft 35 is rotatable through at least 360 and is prefer,- ably continuously rotatable in a given direction. Sets of rotor plates 38 and 38' are fixed to the shaft 36 and are so positioned as to come intoA interleaving relationship with the stator plates 40 and 50 iixedly mounted in the device on the longitudinal bars 2li and 25. Conventional wipers 3l serve to electrically connect the driven rotor shaft 36 and the rotor plates 38 and 38v thereon to the frame A, which may constitute a ground. As a result the stator plates 40 and 40 are connected at all times to the extremities of the coils 32 and 32 respectively, the rotor plates 38 and 38 being connected to ground.

The term interleaving relationship has ref*e .A erence not only to the case where one rotor plate' 38 fits between but does not touch two spaced stator plates liti, as in section 6, and to the case where two rotor plates 38 move so that a single stator plate d0' is received between them, as in section 2, but also to the case where a single rotor plate 38 and a single stator plate 40 are movable into side by side position.

Both the rotor and stator plates 38 and 40 are preferably of the standard type covering approximately and having whatever shape is dictated by tuning and tracking requirements. The stator plates l0 and 40' are all located in line with one another. This may be best seen from Fig. 8 where it is apparent that the visible stator plate 40', together with the other stator plates therebehind, all occupy the right hand portion of the lower part of the tuning unit. The rotor plates 38 and 38', however, are not positioned in line but are instead displaced one from the other about the axis of the shaft 35. When, as here, two sets of variable condensers are dened in each section 2, 4 or 6, the rotor plates are displaced 180 around the shaft 36 from the rotor plates 38'.

It will be understood that when a given rotor plate 38 or 38 starts to interleave with its stator plate Mier-#40', thecapacitance betweenathosef: twofvplates.- will increase tuntil suchntime =as zthez two -plates arel fully7 interleaved.v Any: further: motion of the rotonplatein :the same direction. willi thenv cause theV capacitance to.` decrease... Having-reference tof-Figs 8; it:willlbe apparent that in the position showngthefcondenser. defined..l by the-rotorzpla-te` 38?. and :theivisible stator platee 4N will have itsl maximum capacitance ivalueand; the condenser` defined bywthei rotor-` plate 384 and.. its` invisible stator plateiwiwili; have its minimums capacitance lvvalue: Any furtherfrotationfof the.: shaft 36 will cause -thescondenser -deiined byf. the.; rotor and stator plates-'38.` and40 toV decreasefin` capacitance` value while at the-'samer timeathe condenser deiinedbythe rotoriplate` and stator.. plate.40-will commence-to increase! in'capacitance4 value.. It will alsoibe apparent that? the icone' denser delnedby the rotor -plate'38 andlthetwo.` stator plates 4t will .have-a higher capacitance; than "the condenser den'edi bythe vrotor .'plate: 38:5 andthe single statonplate 40; Hence, even if ay singleLcondenser-cannot be designed 4which will givefadequate tuningf over the-entire televisionrange, asis the case yfromxaipracticalhpoint of! view, there is herek provided. a pair of condensers,

one of which, including thezsingle stator plate 40, has a-range of capacitance suitable for tuning., over half of--the televisionrband and another 'cone denser, including theftwo stator plates 40?, hasP a capacitance suitable forrtuning over thefotherf. half ofthe television` band;l

It hasbeen -found preferab1e:,- although not ablsolutely necessary, to utilize 4a pairof low capaci,- tance condensers,- and apair of high capacitance condenser-s inl each section 2, 4and`6, the con-v densers of each pair-alternating` inflongitudinali. position within the tuningy unit. Asa' result, the stator plates 40 .orr 40' of -'whichever:condenser is not connected intothe receiving circuit will be. interposed between the stator plates 40` or 4D? of the otherset of condensers, thus acting as an electrostatic shield between them and improving the delity and reception. It will be understood that the condensers in section 2 havinglthe two rotor plates 38? constitutevthe high capacitance-1 condensersY similar to-those 2in` sections 4 and 6 having the two-*stator plates 40', and-fthe condensers iny section 2 having the single rotor plates 38 constitute -thelow'` capacitance set similar to the'fcondensers in1sections-14 andy 6 having the.v single stator plate `40.

For tuning purposes,l each of the condenser sets is associatedy with an particular inductance having avalue appropriate to the circuit requirements. Thus, the,v high capacitance set delinedv byy the two condensers having the dualjv stator plates 40? ordual rotor plates'38 are electrically connected to the inductances 32'y having r the larger number-of turns andhence having the higher inductance values, whereas the, low capacitance condensersetsdefined vby the condansers having theasingle Astator plate 4U or the, single rotor plate 38, are electricallyconnected to the inductances 30havingthefewernumber of turnsrand hencel having thel lower. inductance': values; The condensers and inductances as thus." electrically interconnected define inductancecondenser tuning sets which, in the embodiment. herel illustrated, are each capable of tuning over; different halves vof the television band.

Electrical interconnection between. the linduct-V.- ance-condenser tuning sets-'and the-:tubes ll'l'and:v trap I2 is achieved by meansofthe switches'Fe'. here `Vshown'in the fform off-rotary switches, two."`

' cia-,ted coil.

Lof shaft 3B which projects out through the r 6, for-eachof. thefsections'z, 4 and 6. Ay plurality ofi insulatingplates 42,. oneforeach switch E, are, secured betweenithefbars 30 and'eachis provided; with a disc t4-:rotatabletherein,r an operating shaft 46 preferably of. non-circular cross-section passing 4through appropriately non-crcu1ar shaped apertures in thediscs 44 and being rotatably mounted in brackets 26, rotationoi thcshait 46-Lcausing simultaneous rotation of the discs 44. Each disc hassecured to one facethereof a conductive strip SDJeXtending over a portion of itsy circumference, thelstrip `50 having a pair of narrowprojecting portions 52 and 52 and an elongated. projecting portion 54, each being receivable. between contact jaws 56, 56. and 58 respectively. The projecting portions 52, 52' and 54 are so spaced in conjunction with the location of the .contact jaws 56, 56 and 58 that in one position of rotation ofthe shaft 46, the project'ng portion 52 isreceived between the jaws 56 while the projectingportion- 52 is not received between the jaws 56,'1this being the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8,v andaaposition in which the projectingportion 52 is received between the jaws 56 and the projecting portion '52 is received between the jaws this representing a rotation of approximately 20 in a counterclockwise direction from the position of Figs. 7 and 8. In both. of these positions, the projecting portion 54 is rev.ceivedbetween the jaws 58.` The jaws 53 are electrically connected to appropriate lugs I E leading to the tubes i0 or the trap I2, the jaws 56 are electrically connected to appropriate points on one of the inductance-condenser tuning units, here specifically illustrated as the set including' the lowerinductances 32 and the low capacitance condensers having the single stator plate 40 or rotor plate` 38, and the jaws 5B are electrically connected to another of the inductance--condenser tuning sets; here'illustrated as the high capacitance tuning. set irciding the high inductances 32' and the condensers having the twin stator plates4l' or the twin rotor plates 38', in each caseso as to :make nonnection with one setv of stator plates and one e"tr^rnitv of its asso,- It will' be onnai'arlL that when the switch Ev is in its position illustrated in Figs. 7 andi8. thehigh canec'tance condenser-indi1ctn ance'tuning set will he connected into the teevisionv receiving circuit while the low capacitrnce condensereinductance tuning set will not be con.- nected into the tuning circuit. In the other position ofthe switch E, the converse will be true. Note that the switch controls the eectrical con nection not just of the coils 32 and 32', but of the condensers as well.

The condenser-inductance tuning sets. and in particular the condensers thereof, are all simultaneously tuned through rotation of the shaft 35,

this being accomplished through the instiuinen'- tality of a pair of control elements, the iirst oi these serving to tune the unit over the entire television band to select the desired television `channel andthe second of these being used for' zne'adjustment'toachieve precise tuning within that channel;

The first control element comprises a rst driving shaft 60 to which gear 52 is secured, that gear meshing with gear 64 fast on that portion ight hand end plate 22 in Fig. 1. In the form here specifically illustrated, the shaft is in the form ofa hub on onesidefof discx, the gear t2 being integrally formed with` disc "66' on theother side thereof.`T Thehubo; disci 66.and gear 62 are all receivable over a hollow tubular support4 68 lprojecting outwardly from the right hand end plate 22. A bushing l is securable to the hub 60 by means of set screws 'I2 and a knob 'lll is secured to the bushing l0. Rotation of knob it will therefore cause rotation of driven condenser shaft 36 and will thus cause tuning of the various condenser sets.

A detent member, in the form of a resilient bracket 'it having a cup shaped portion 18 adapted to receive ball B therein, is mounted on one of the depending ends I8 of the top plate 8 and the disc 66 is provided with portions, here illustrated as depressed portions in the form of elongated peripheral notches 82, one for each television channel, cooperable with the detent ball 8B to x the position of the television condenser rotor shaft 36 and hence to control the tuning of the condensers in accordance with the frequency of the television channel reception of which is desired. Since there are at present twelve television channels, the disc 66 is provided with twelve notches 82 as illustrated.

It will be noted that each of these notches is larger than the detent ball S0 so that some slight degree of motion of the disc B6 is permitted within its detent-determining positions, this freedom of motion permitting rotation of the rotary condenser shaft 36 within limits and thus permitting precise tuning within a given range. This precise tuning is accomplished by means of the second control element which comprises a second driving shaft 8B passable through the sleeve 68, the bushing 'Hl and the knob 14 and having a knob 8G secured to the outwardly projecting end thereof. The inwardly projecting end of the shaft 34, which passes through the right hand end plate 22, is provided with a pinion B8 meshing with gear Bil, the latter rotating pinion 92 which in turn meshes with and rotates gear 94. The gear 9d is rotatably mounted on a reduced portion 96 of the condenser rotor shaft 36 and is retained in frictional engagement with a collar 98 fast on the shaft 35 by means of spring Hill. Hence, once a given television channel has been selected by rotation of knob 'I4 until the detent ball 80 falls into the appropriate notch 82, precise tuning of that channel may be accomplished by rotating knob 85 which, through the gearing just described, and through the frictional connection between the gear 94 and the collar 9E, will rotate the condenser shaft 36 until the detent ball 8B reaches one side edge or the other of peripheral notch B2. Once this occurs, any further rotation of the knob 8S will merely result in slipping of the gear 96 on the collar Q8, so that it is imppossible to tune out of a channel if the initial precise tuning movement is initiated in the wrong direction. It is apparent from the gear train 88, 90, 92, 84 that precise fine adjustment of the condensers is achieved.

In order that the knob 86 should not spin rapidly when the knob ld is turned, a friction drag is made active on the shaft 8, this being accomplished by making the bearing between the shaft 3d and the sleeve 68 a stii one. The amount of the irictional drag is so chosen that it exceeds in magnitude the frictional interconnection between the gear 94 and the collar 98. Hence, when the knob 14 is rotated, thus causing the condenser rotor shaft 36 to rotate, the gear 94 will slip on the collar 98, and rotation will not be transmitted back to the knob 8S.

Since each of the inductance-conclenser sets is tunable only over a portion of the television band, and since it is most desirable that a single manual control be useable over the entire band, the linkage generally designated F is provided for automatically switching one inductance-condenser set out of the circuit and another into the circuit at appropriate times. In the embodiment here illustrated, this switching is designed to take place when one condenser set has reached its maximum capacitance and is about to decrease and the other condenser set has reached its minimum capacitance and is about to increase. This occurs when, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the rotor plate 38' is fully interleaved with its stator plates 43 and the rotor plate 38 is completely out of interleaving relationship with its stator plate 4B. The converse would also be true. To accomplish this switching, the projecting end |02 of the rotary switch'operating shaft 45 is made fast to U-shaped link iil both by set screw It and by the fact that the shaft it is of non-circular cross-section and fixed within a matingly shaped aperture in the link EM. The link is provided with a pin Hi8 which fits through slot li in arm H2 pivotally mounted at lill on bracket il adjustably secured to the end plate 22 by means of screws IIS and slots B2B. The arm H2 is provided with a cam follower `in the form of a projecting pin i22 which is cooperable with a cam here shown in the form of a cam groove |26 formed on the inner side of the disc 65. The groove l2l is so shaped in conjunction with the position of the disc Sii and the corresponding position of the condenser rotor shaft 3c as to pivot the arm H2 and thus cause the operating shaft 'l5 of the switches E to rotate at the appropriate times above set forth.

The manner of operation and the advantages of this structure will in the main be apparent from the above description. A tuning device eniploying rotary variable condensers, and one which is capable of tuning over the entire broadcast band through the manipulation of a single knob lil, has been disclosed. In order to amoniplish this result, a plurality of inductance-condenser tuning sets have been incorporated into the device and a switch E, automatically operated through manipulation of the same knob ld, connects the proper tuning set into the appropriate circuits at the appropriate times. Timing is achieved, as here disclosed, by mounting the stator plates in line and by displacing the rotor plates of the diierent tuning sets angularly around the axis of the condenser rotor shaft 35. It is, of course, possible to mount the rotor plates in line and displace the stator plates around the shaft, but the disclosed arrangement is preferred because of simplicity in mounting and electrically interconnecting the various elements, and because the stator plates act as shields for one another. A second control, manually manipulatable by means or" knob Se, is provided for Vernier adjustment of the tuning sets so as to achieve precise control or tuning within a given television channel. This second control operates functionally in the same way as does the rst control, to wit, both rotate the condenser shaft 3B, and is spatially located close to, and preferably coaxial with the rst control, thus materially facilitating manipulation of both controls. The entire construction is quite compact, having a length of approximately five and one-half inches and a height of approximately three and one-half inches, so `as to be useable in even the smallest of commercial television receivers and so as to *anonime ypermit the production of 'even'A smaller receivers,

is light in weight, and is formed of-elements both of inductance, resistance zand variable capaciytance of a type either already available on the market or manufacturable without marked devia- Ytion therefrom, so that'the tuning `device may be produced at comparatively low cost. yDespite the -compactness and ineXpensiveness-offthe device,

it will give tuning of a high quality and'preision comparable to vthe best on the marketL today. Because of the compactness, leads of small length are employed, thus making for greaterefliciency,

yet `despite the compactness these leads are well A`spaced one from the other, thus minimizingfthe danger of interference between circuits. Asia further factor in this regard, itfshouldbe'noted '.that, by reason of the alternate spacing of the -condensers in 'each tuning set, the statorp'ates of the condensers not connected in the'circuit are interposed between the stator `plates of those condensers connected in the circuit, thus acting as electrostatic shields.

While this specification has been drawn in Vterms of a television tuner, the invention is vclearly applicable to vany broad band tuner, such ,as might be used for AM, short wave and -FM broadcasts. Only one embodiment of the tuning device of the present invention has been here disclosed, an embodiment in which two tuning sets,

each comprising a fined -inductf-i nce and a pair of tunable condensers, are provided for each section. Many variations may be mede inthis def the placement of the various circuit elements on the frame, and varying the details ofi the-switch, the linkage for-actuating the switch, and the gear trains for rotating the condenser rotor shaft. The above possible departuresfrom the disclosure are vmentioned by way of example onlyand-many other variations are also possillezall :within 'the spirit of the invention-as denedby-the following claims.

I claim:

l. A tuning device `comprising a frame, f four sets of condenser vstator'platesv mounted in line thereon, a shaft lmounted insaid frame so .as to vbe rotatable through'at least i360", four sets'of condenser rotor "pates'ionsaidisha spaced so as to interleave v'ith said sets of stator plates respectively, each set of rotorplates being 180 `displaced -aroundsaid shaft "with 'respect `to an adjacent set, a selector swith, electrical connections between said switch and said stator plates and between said switch and an eirternal circuit, said switch being active to simultaneously connect alternate sets of sttor plates into said circuit, and a linkage operatively connect^d to said shaft and said switch for actuating the latter corresponding to the position of the former, the stator plates unconnected in the circuit thus being interposed between and shielding the stator plates connected in said circuit.

2. A tuning device comprising a. frame, a plurality of inductances and a plurality of rotary variable condensers mounted thereon and connected to one another so as to denne a plurality of inductance-condenser tuning sets, each having a different tuning range, a selector switch, electrical connections between said switch and said tuning sets and between said switch and an 'I external circuit, said switch connecting one tun-r,

ing set or another into said circuit, a handle con? filo 'nected Vtol-'said condensers for simultaneously varying the capacitance of all of them, and a linkage operatively connected to said handle and to said switch for actuating the latter when one tuning set reaches the end of its tuning range so as to `disconnect said set from said circuit and connect the-other tuning set in said circuit, `whereby tuning is provided over a plurality of ranges.

3. A tuning device'comprising a frame, a plurality of inductances and a plurality of rotary variable condensers mounted thereon and connected to one another so as to denne a plurality of inductance-condenser tuning sets, each of said 'condensers comprising a stator plate mounted on said frame "and an interleaving rotor plate mounted r0n a shaft, said shaft being continuously'rotatably mounted in said frame, the stator plates of said condensers being in line and the rotor plates of the condensers in one tuning set being 180 displaced around said shaft with re- `spect to the rotor plates of the condensers of an other tuning set, a handle connected to said shaft for rotating the same, a selector switch, electrical connections between said swtch and said tuning sets and between said switch and an external circuit, said switch alternately connecting one tuning set or another into a circuit, and a linkage operatively connected to said handle and said switch'for actuating the latter when one tuning set reaches the end of its tuning range so as to disconnect said set from said circuit and connect the other'tuning set in said circuit,

'whereby tuning is provided over a plurality of ranges.

said frame, va rst control element connected to fsaid-shaft and having portions loosely cooperable v'with said detent member so as to releasably x the position of said shaft within limits but permit some degree of freedom of motion, said shaft po- 'sition corr^sponding to various television broad- Vcast channels, and a second control element con- -nected to said driven shaft for adjusting the posi- "tion thereof within the freedom of motion pervvmittedby said detent member so as to secure optimum reception within said. broadcast channel. 5,'The television tuner of claim 1., in which said second control element i5 frictionally confnected to said driven shaft.

'6. The television tuner of claim 5, in which a friction drag is active on said second control element, said friction drag being stronger than the frictional connection between said second control element and said driven shaft, whereby movement of said first control element does not result in movement of said second control element.

7. A television tuner comprising a frame, a rotary variable condenser mounted the-rein and including a driven shaft which determines the tuning of said condenser, a first driving shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and connected to said driven shaft, a control disc having depressed areas connected to said first driving shaft, a detent member on said-frame cooperating with said depressed areas so as to releasably nx the position of said shafts corresponding to various telev"vision broadcast channels, said depressed areas vbeing of greater extent than said detent memer in their direction of motion relative thereto that Said4 shafts are permitted some degree of freedom of motion in their datent-fixed positions, and a second driving shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and frictionally connected to said driven shaft for adjusting the position thereof within the freedom of motion permitted by said detent member so as to secure optimum reception within said broadcast channels.

8. The television tuner of claim 7, in which a friction drag is active on said second driving shaft, said friction drag being stronger than the frictional connection between said second driving shaft and said driven shaft, whereby movement of Said first driving shaft does not result in movement of said second driving shaft.

9. r:Che television tuner of claim 7, in which said control disc is concentric with said first driving shaft and said depressed areas are in the form of elongated peripheral notches in said control disc.

10. The television tuner of claim 7, in which said first driving shaft is hollow and said second driving shaft is coaxially mounted in said first driving shaft.

11. The television 'tuner of claim 10, in which a friction drag is active on said second driving shaft, said friction drag being stronger than the frictional connection between said second driving shaft and said driven shaft, whereby movement of said first driving shaft does not result in movement of said second driving shaft.

12. In` the television tuner of claim 7, a switch for making appropriate circuit connections, a linkage including a cam follower operatively connected to said switch for manipulating the same, and a cam operatively connected to said rst driving shaft and active on said cam follower to control the position of said switch.

13. In the television tuner of claim 7, a switch for making appropriate circuit connections, and a linkage including a cam follower operatively connected to said switch for manipulating the same, said control disc having a cam surface with which said cam follower is cooperable to control the position of said switch.

14. The television tuner of claim 7, in which the depressed areas on said control disc are in the form of elongated peripheral notches and in which said control disc has a cam groove in one side thereof, said tuner including a switch for making appropriate circuit connections and a linkage including a cam follower operatively connected to said switch for manipulating the same, said cam follower riding in said cam groove, whereby said first driving shaft controls the posi- 12 tion of said driven shaft and also controls the position of said switch.

15. A tuning device comprising-a frame, a rotary variable condenser including a plurality of tuning sets mounted thereon, a rst shaft journalled in said frame connected to said condensers for varying said condensers, a rotary switch mounted on said frame and electrically connected to said tuning sets for connecting one or another in a circuit, said switch having an operating shaft journalled in said frame, a cam on said first shaft, an arm pivotally mounted on said frame and having a cam foliower cooperable with said cam, and a link connected to said operating arm and to said operating shaft for rotating said operating shaft when said arm is pivoted, said first shaft thereby simultaneously acting to tune said condensers and control which of said tuning sets is connected in a circuit.

16. A tuning device comprising a'frame, a plurality of rotary variable condensers mounted thereon, a plurality of inductances on said frame electrically connected to said ccndensers so as to dene a plurality of inductance-condenser tuning sets, a rst shaft connected to said condensers for varying said condensers, a rotary switch mounted on said frame and electrically connected to said tuning sets for connecting one or another in a circuit, said switch having an operating shaft journalled in said frame, a cam on said first shaft, an arm pivotally mounted on said frame and having a cam follower cooperable with said cam, and a link connected to said operating arm and to said operating shaft for rotating said operating shaft when said arl is pivoted, said rst shaft thereby simultaneously acting to tune said condensers and control which of said tuning sets is connected in a circuit.

BERNE N. FISHER.

REFERENCES CXTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,631,360 Clark June 7, 1927 2,129,756 Elder Sept. 13, 1938 2,316,547 Baum et al Apr. 13, 1943 2,408,896 Turner Oct. 8, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 323,255 Great Britain Dec. 23, 1929 

